The provision of protected areas is fundamental in any attempt to conserve biodiversity (Myers, 1994; Myers and Mittermeier, 2000; Nepstad et al., 2006). Protected areas alone, however, are not sufficient to conserve biodiversity. They should be considered alongside, and as part of, a wider strategy to conserve biodiversity. The minimum area of forest to be protected is generally considered to be 10 per cent of total forest area. It is reported that 12.4 per cent of the world’s forest are located within protected areas. Tropical and temperate forests have the highest proportions of their forests in protected areas and boreal forests have the least. The Americas have the greatest proportion while Europe the least proportion of protected areas